NCJ Number
213790
Journal
Law and Order Volume: 54 Issue: 3 Dated: March 2006 Pages: 72-78
Date Published
March 2006
Length
7 pages
Annotation
This article describes the weapon lights manufactured by the SureFire Company, which has set the standard for this type of equipment.
Abstract
Prior to 1984 there were tactical lights that were small and tactical lights that were bright, but there were no small, bright tactical lights. This changed prior to the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. The Los Angeles Police Department Special Weapons and Tactics team asked SureFire to design and manufacture a small weapon-mounted light for its MP5 submachine guns and its .45 caliber Model 1911 pistols. Since completing that assignment, SureFire has gone on to produce a light for just about every conceivable need. SureFire dominates the market in providing many different lighting systems for the various Glock models and the M16/AR15 series of weapons, which are used by police officers throughout the country. For the Glock and other handguns, the most popular lights are the Nitrolon series of dedicated lights and the new X200A and X200B. For the M16 series, the most popular weapons lights are the Millennium Universal Series, the Model 500, and the Model 900. Each of these lights has advantages pertinent to various missions. This article provides the technical specifications for each of these types of lights and suggests how they may be most effectively used.